Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the general technical field of agricultural machinery and, among others, machines including a foldable chassis that has a mid-section and at least one side section on each side of the mid-section. In a specific case, the agricultural machine is a coulter bar. It could also be a soil working machine such as a cultivator or a harrow, a fodder processing machine such as a gyrorake or more generally an agricultural machine with a folding chassis requiring the side sections to follow the terrain.
Discussion of the Background
In a type of machine including a first section on which a second folding section is mounted via a hinge, a jack is mounted at one end on the first section and supports at the end of its retractable rod a transverse pivot rod. This pivot rod is mounted in a sliding manner in an oblong hole made in the second section. When the second section folds up and the oblong hole is at 90 degrees to the axis of the movable rod and the centre of gravity of the foldable section has crossed the vertical plane passing through the hinge, the foldable section redescends by gravity towards the first section. The pivot rod then slides in the oblong hole and moves away from the end of the oblong hole. As a result, the foldable section is not in the desired position for transport. In addition, when the machine unfolds and the centre of gravity of the second section crosses the vertical plane passing through the hinge between the sections, the second section redescends by gravity. If the pivot rod is not at the expected end of the oblong hole, the second section will fall until the pivot rod abuts and the jack can hold the section. This fall risks causing damage in the jack, the hydraulic circuit or on the chassis if the jack gives under the weight of the second section.
In addition, depending on the weight, physiognomy and number of tools, the position of the centre of gravity of the foldable sections differs. Each weight and configuration of tools has a different centre of gravity and an optimal incline of the oblong hole (for example relative to the horizontal). Furthermore, the incline of the oblong hole is a difficult compromise to ensure that the tipping of the foldable section is suitable for all anticipated configurations of tools.